As of the
2010 CensusThe Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the population of the county was 4,092,459,
White AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
s made up 56.6% of Harris County's population;
non-Hispanic whitesNon-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is...
represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population. Asian Americans made up 6.2% of the population (2.0% Vietnamese, 1.2% Indian, 1.1% Chinese, 0.6% Filipino, 0.3% Korean, 0.1% Japanese, 1.0% Other).
Pacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
s made up just 0.1% of the population. Individuals from other races made up 14.3% of the population; people from
two or more racesMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
made up 3.2% of the county's population.
Hispanics and LatinosHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race) made up 40.8% of Harris County's population.
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,400,578 people, 1,205,516 households, and 834,217 families residing in the county, making it the largest county by population in Texas. The population density was 1,967 people per square mile (759/km²). There were 1,298,130 housing units at an average density of 751 per square mile (290/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 58.73%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 18.49%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.45%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.14%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.06%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 14.18% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.96% from two or more races. 32.93% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 7.2% were of
GermanThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 6.2% American and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 63.8% spoke only English at home, while 28.8% spoke Spanish and 1.6%
VietnameseVietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
.
In 2000 there were 1,205,516 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the county, the population was spread out with 29.00% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,598, and the median income for a family was $49,004. Males had a median income of $37,361 versus $28,941 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,435. About 12.10% of families and 14.97% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.
According to
Children At RiskChildren At Risk is a 501 non-profit policy research and advocacy organization in Houston, Texas which focuses on improving children's quality of life. Founded in 1989, its primary areas of focus are poverty, childhood health, public education, and safety issues...
, a local non-profit research organization, 20.8% of the Harris County children live in poverty, 6.5 per 1,000 die before age 1, and 38% drop out of high school.
Harris County along with other Texas counties has one of the nation's highest property tax rates. In 2007, the county was ranked in the top 25 at 22nd in the nation for property taxes as percentage of the homes value on owner-occupied housing. The list only includes counties with a population over 65,000 for accuracy.
As of the 2010 Census Harris County had a population of 4,092,459 people. The racial and ethnic make-up of the county was 40.84% Hispanic or Latino with 0.52% of the overall population being Hispanic blacks who reported black or African American as their only race. The population was 32.98% Non-Hispanic white, 18.43% Non-Hispanic blacks, 0.68% Native Americas, 6.18% Asians, 0.07% Pacific Islanders and 0.19% Non-Hispanics reporting some other race. 3.21% of the population reported more than one race, with 1.19% of the population being non-Hispanics reporting more than one race.
As of U.S. Census figures current as of 1997, 9% of residents in Harris County did not own automobiles. This figure does not include people who own cars, but do not have enough money to repair the automobiles. As of that year, while the average income of all residents of the county was $41,000, the average income of households without cars was $13,000.
Steve Murdock, a demographer with the
Rice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
Hobby Center for the Study of Texas and a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, predicted that by 2040, Hispanic residents of the county will increase by 2.5 million, while the number of non-Hispanic whites will decrease by 516,000. This assumes that the net migration rate is equal to one half of that of 1990–2000.
Economy
In 2000 the largest employers in Harris County were
AdministaffInsperity, Inc., previously known as Administaff, Inc., is a professional employer organization with its headquarters in Houston, Texas. Insperity provides human resources services to small and medium-sized businesses. Since 2004, the company has been title sponsor of a professional golf...
,
CompaqCompaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
,
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, and
Southwestern BellSouthwestern Bell Telephone Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. It does business as AT&T Southwest and other d/b/a names in its operating region.The company is currently headquartered in Dallas, Texas at One AT&T Plaza.-History:...
.
The
University of Houston SystemThe University of Houston System is a state university system in Texas, encompassing four separate and distinct universities. It has two system centers, which operate as and distance learning course delivery sites for its universities...
's annual impact on the Houston-area's economy equates to that of a major corporation: $1.1 billion in new funds attracted annually to the Houston area, $3.13 billion in total economic benefit, and 24,000 local jobs generated. This is in addition to the 12,500 new graduates the UH System produces every year who enter the workforce in Houston and throughout Texas. These degree-holders tend to stay in Houston. After five years, 80.5 percent of graduates are still living and working in the region.
In 2009 20% of the office space in northwest Harris County was vacant. As of that year, more office space is being built; in 2010 northwest Harris will have twice the amount of office space that it had in 2009. The vacancy rate in the area near
Farm to Market Road 1960Farm to Market Road 1960 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas. Its western terminus is at an intersection with U.S...
and Texas State Highway 249 in north Harris County was 53% in 2009.
Various companies are headquartered in incorporated and unincorporated areas throughout Harris County.
Academy Sports and OutdoorsAcademy Sports + Outdoors is a sports goods discount store chain. For 74 years it was a privately held company owned by the Gochman family, until its May 2011 sale of majority ownership to the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts LP. Academy is one of the largest sporting goods stores in the...
, a sporting goods retailer, has its corporate offices and product distribution center in unincorporated western Harris County.
Hewlett-PackardHewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
operates its United States region office in a complex northwest unincorporated Harris County; the complex formerly belonged to
CompaqCompaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
prior to Compaq's merger with HP.
Internet AmericaInternet America is an American Internet service provider headquartered in northwest unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near Houston.-History:...
, an internet service provider, is headquartered in northwest unincorporated Harris County.
Smith InternationalSmith International was a Fortune 500 company headquartered in the Greenspoint district and in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. Smith International ceased to exist as an independent company following the merger with Schlumberger. This company supplies products to gas and oil production and...
has its headquarters in the Greenspoint district and in an unincorporated area in Harris County.
BJ Services CompanyBJ Services Company was an oil and gas equipment and services company that is now a subsidiary of Baker Hughes.It was founded in 1872 as the Byron Jackson Company by inventor Byron Jackson and at its peak operated in more than 50 countries worldwide....
has its headquarters in the Spring Branch district and in unincorporated Harris County.
FMC TechnologiesFMC Technologies, Incorporated , is an American oil and gas equipment and services technology company. FMC Technologies was incorporated in 2000 when FMC Corporation divested its machinery businesses...
has its headquarters in an unincorporated area. Cybersoft Technologies has its headquarters in an unincorporated area.
General ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
operates an aeroderivative division facility on Jacintoport in unincorporated Harris County.
Randall's Food MarketsRandall's Food Markets operates 112 supermarkets in the Houston, Austin, and Dallas-Fort Worth areas under the Randalls, Flagship Randalls, Tom Thumb, Flagship Tom Thumb, and Simon David banners. Randall's employs more than 10,000 associates and is the Texas division of Safeway Inc. The Texas...
, a subsidiary of
Safeway Inc.Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
, has its distribution center in unincorporated Harris County.
In 2008 KBR announced that it will open a new office facility in an unincorporated area in western Harris County. In December KBR said that it would not continue with the plans due to a weakened economy. In January 2009 KBR announced that it will not open the new office facility.
As Houston mostly resides in Harris County, much of the county's economy is related to Houston. See
Economy of HoustonThe economy of Houston is primarily based on the energy industry , however, biomedical research and aerospace are a large sectors of the city's economy. The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown area Gross Metropolitan Product in 2005 was $308.7 billion, up 5.4 percent from 2004 in constant dollars...
.
Diplomatic missions
Various consulates are located in the county; one, the Consulate-General of Pakistan in Houston, which opened in June 2004, is at 11850 Jones Road in an unincorporated section of the county. The other consulates are in areas of Houston.
Government and politics
Harris County has tended to vote Republican at the presidential level since the mid-20th century;
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
was the first Democrat to win the county since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Democratic strength is found in the city of Houston and the suburbs that surround the city limits. Suburban areas such as
CypressCypress is an unincorporated area of Harris County, Texas, United States located completely inside the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Houston. The Cypress area is located along U.S...
,
SpringSpring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
, and
KatyKaty is a city located in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area...
in the county's western and northern areas, tend to be strongly Republican.
Presidential Election Results 1960–2008
| Year |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| 2008 |
50.5% 590,982 |
48.8% 571,883 |
| 2004 |
44.6% 475,865 |
54.6% 584,723 |
| 2000 |
42.9% 418,267 |
54.3% 529,159 |
| 1996 |
45.2% 386,726 |
49.2% 421,462 |
| 1992 |
38.2% 360,171 |
43.1% 406,778 |
| 1988 |
42.1% 342,919 |
57.0% 464,217 |
| 1984 |
38.3% 334,135 |
61.5% 536,029 |
| 1980 |
38.1% 274,061 |
57.9% 416,655 |
| 1976 |
47.0% 321,897 |
52.2% 357,536 |
| 1972 |
36.9% 215,916 |
62.6% 365,672 |
| 1968 |
38.8% 182,546 |
42.9% 202,079 |
| 1964 |
59.5% 227,819 |
40.3% 154,401 |
| 1960 |
45.6% 148,275 |
51.7% 168,170 |
County facilities
The 1911 county courthouse received renovations in the 1950s. In 1956 Martin Dreyer, a
Houston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
reporter, talked about how he was upset at how the courthouse had been modernized. In 2011 a $50 million, eight year project to restore the courthouse to its original condition had finished. The courthouse still has its air conditioning and elevator systems.
The
Texas First Court of AppealsThe Texas Courts of Appeals are part of the Texas judicial system. In Texas, all cases appealed from the district level, both criminal and civil, may be heard by one of the fourteen Texas Courts of Appeals. The exception is for cases where the death penalty is a factor; these cases go directly to...
and the
Texas Fourteenth Court of AppealsThe Texas Courts of Appeals are part of the Texas judicial system. In Texas, all cases appealed from the district level, both criminal and civil, may be heard by one of the fourteen Texas Courts of Appeals. The exception is for cases where the death penalty is a factor; these cases go directly to...
, since September 3, 2011, are located in the 1911 Harris County courthouse. Previously they were located on the campus of the
South Texas College of LawSouth Texas College of Law is a private American Bar Association accredited law school and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools...
.
United States Congress
| Senators |
Name |
Party |
First Elected |
Level |
| |
Senate Class 1 |
Kay Bailey HutchisonKathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
1993 |
Senior Senator |
| |
Senate Class 2 |
John CornynJohn Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2002 |
Junior Senator |
| Representatives |
Name |
Party |
First Elected |
Area(s) of Harris County Represented |
| |
District 2 |
Ted PoeLloyd "Ted" Poe is a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. He is the first Republican to ever...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2004 |
Atascosita, Baytown, Crosby, Dayton, Huffman, Humble, Kingwood, La Porte, eastern Sheldon, Spring |
| |
District 7 |
John Culberson John Abney Culberson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party caucus...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2000 |
West Houston, Memorial Villages, Bellaire, West University Place, west and northwest areas of county |
| |
District 9 |
Al GreenAlexander N. "Al" Green is the U.S. Representative from Texas' 9th congressional district . The district includes most of southwestern Houston, including most of that city's share of Fort Bend County. It also includes most of Missouri City.-Early life and career:Green was born in New Orleans,...
|
Democrat The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2004 |
Alief, Southwest Houston, Houston's Southside |
| |
District 10 |
Michael McCaul Michael Thomas McCaul, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Austin to Houston.-Early life, education and career:...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2004 |
Northwest |
| |
District 18 |
Sheila Jackson LeeSheila Jackson Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
|
Democrat The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1994 |
Downtown Houston, Bush IAH, northwest and northeast Houston, inner portions of Houston's Southside |
| |
District 22 |
Pete OlsonPeter Graham "Pete" Olson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of southeastern Houston, as well as most of the city's southern suburbs such as Pearland, Sugar Land, and Pasadena.-Early life, education, and military...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2008 |
Clear Lake City, NASA Johnson Space Center, Ellington Field, southern and central Pasadena, Deer Park |
| |
District 29 |
Gene GreenRaymond Eugene "Gene" Green is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
|
Democrat The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1992 |
Aldine, Channelview, East Houston, Fall Creek portion of Humble, Galena Park, Jacinto City, northern Pasadena, North Shore, western Sheldon, South Houston |
List above took effect January 4, 2007.
Texas Senate
| District |
Name |
Party |
First Elected |
Area(s) of Harris County Represented |
| |
4 |
Tommy Williams |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2003 |
Kingwood, far eastern portions of Baytown |
| |
6 |
Mario GallegosMario Valentin Gallegos, Jr. is a Democratic politician in the U.S. state of Texas. He is the current senator from District 6 in the Texas Senate, which serves a portion of Harris County...
|
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1995 |
Houston Ship Channel, eastern portions of Houston, Jacinto City, Galena Park, northern Pasadena, western portion of Baytown |
| |
7 |
Dan Patrick |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2007 |
Memorial Villages, Memorial/Spring Branch area, Addicks Reservoir, northwest portions of county |
| |
11 |
Mike Jackson |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
1999 |
Southeast |
| |
13 |
Rodney Ellis Rodney Glenn Ellis is an African-American politician from the state of Texas. He has served on the Texas State Senate since 1990, representing Texas Senate District 13.Senator Rodney Ellis was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990...
|
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1990 |
Downtown Houston, Texas Medical Center, southwest and northeast Houston, Houston's Southside |
| |
15 |
John Whitmire John Harris Whitmire is the longest-serving of current members of the Texas State Senate representing District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, since 1983. Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982...
|
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1983 |
Northwest Houston, Bush IAH, southern portion of Humble, eastern Harris County |
| |
17 |
Joan Huffman Joan J. Huffman is a former felony court judge in Houston, Texas, and an incoming Republican member of the 31-member Texas State Senate from District 17, which includes a portion of populous Harris County. Huffman will also be the sixth currently serving female member of the chamber...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2008 |
Meyerland, Bellaire, West University Place, much of Greater Katy area, far west Houston, Barker Reservoir |
Texas House of Representatives
| District |
Name |
Party |
First Elected |
Area(s) of Harris County Represented |
| |
126 |
Patricia Harless |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2006 |
Champions/FM 1960 area |
| |
127 |
Dan Huberty |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2010 |
Humble, Kingwood, Lake Houston, Atascocita, Crosby, Wallisville |
| |
128 |
Wayne Smith |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2002 |
Baytown, Deer Park, La Porte |
| |
129 |
John Davis |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
1998 |
Clear Lake City, NASA Johnson Space Center, Southeast Harris County (including Seabrook and Webster) |
| |
130 |
Allen Fletcher |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2008 |
Northwest Harris County (including Cypress, Tomball, Waller) |
| |
131 |
Alma Allen |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2004 |
far Southwest Houston and far South Side |
| |
132 |
Bill Callegari |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2000 |
West Harris County (including Greater Katy area) |
| |
133 |
Jim MurphyJames Francis "Jim" Murphy is a British Labour Party politician and is the Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire....
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2010 (Also Served 2006–2008) |
West Houston along West Sam Houston Tollway, including western portion of Memorial/Spring Branch and part of the Energy Corridor |
| |
134 |
Sarah Davis |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2010 |
Inner western portions of Houston (including Meyerland, River Oaks and Memorial Park), Texas Medical Center, West University Place, Bellaire, Southside Place, Western Montrose |
| |
135 |
Gary Elkins Gary Elkins was an English football player; most notable for the unusual statistic of his having started exactly 100 league games for both Fulham F.C. and Wimbledon F.C...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
1994 |
Jersey Village and southeastern segments of the Champions/FM 1960 area |
| |
136 |
Beverly Woolley Beverly Woolley is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 136 which covers parts of Harris County, Texas. She is co-chair of the Tea Party caucus in the House...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
1994 |
West Houston, including the Memorial Villages and Galleria/Post Oak area |
| |
137 |
Scott Hochberg Scott Hochberg is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 137 in southwest Houston. The district includes Gulfton, Sharpstown, Briarmeadow, Shenandoah, Piney Point, and nearby communities....
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1992 |
Southwest Houston (including Sharpstown and Gulfton) |
| |
138 |
Dwayne Bohac |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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2002 |
Northwest Houston and parts of the Memorial/Spring Branch area north of I-10, Addicks Reservoir |
| |
139 |
Sylvester Turner |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1988 |
North Houston and Aldine west of I-45 |
| |
140 |
Armando Walle Armando Lucio Walle is a former congressional staffer and is the representative for the Texas House of Representatives district 140, beating 17 year incumbent Kevin Bailey for the Democratic nomination in March 2008. He received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Sociology...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2008 |
North Houston and Aldine east of I-45 |
| |
141 |
Senfronia Thompson Senfronia Calpernia Thompson is a well-known civil rights leader and Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 141st District since 1972....
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1972 |
Northeast Houston, Bush IAH, Greenspoint, southern portion of Humble |
| |
142 |
Harold Dutton, Jr. |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1984 |
East Houston and Northshore area |
| |
143 |
Ana Hernandez Ana E. Hernandez is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. Since her election in 2005 Ana E. Hernandez is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. Since her election in 2005 Ana E. Hernandez is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. Since...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2006 |
East Houston within Loop 610, Houston Ship Channel, Galena Park, Jacinto City, northern Pasadena |
| |
144 |
Ken Legler |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2008 |
Southern Pasadena, far southeast Houston |
| |
145 |
Carol Alvarado |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2008 |
Inner southeastern portions of Houston (mainly east of I-45), South Houston (not part of the city of Houston) |
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146 |
Borris Miles Borris L. Miles is an insurance broker who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 146 in the Eightieth Texas Legislature. He is currently serving his second term in the 82nd Legislature....
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2010 (Also served 2006–2008) |
Inner portions of Houston's South Side |
| |
147 |
Garnet Coleman Garnet F. Coleman is a U.S. politician and a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 147 since 1991. He is the son of John B. Coleman, M.D...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1990 |
Downtown Houston, inner southeastern portions of Houston (mainly west of I-45), Eastern Montrose, Midtown, Third Ward |
| |
148 |
Jessica Farrar Jessica Christina Farrar is a United States politician and an incumbent in the Texas House of Representatives. She is currently serving her 9th term as the representative from District 148, located in Houston, TX...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
1994 |
North and Northwest Houston mainly within Loop 610 (including Houston Heights) |
| |
149 |
Hubert Vo Hubert Vo is a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 149. He is the first and only Vietnamese American to be elected to the Texas legislature.-Personal life:...
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Democrat The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
2004 |
Far west Houston, Alief, unincorporated portions of Katy area east of Fry Rd, Barker Reservoir |
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150 |
Debbie Riddle Debbie Riddle is a horse breeder and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, serving House District 150, which comprises much of northwest Harris County.-Significant legislation:...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
2002 |
North Harris County (including Spring and Klein) |
Harris County Elected Officials
| Position |
Name |
Party |
| |
County Judge |
Ed Emmett |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Commissioner, Precinct 1 |
El Franco Lee |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Commissioner, Precinct 2 |
Jack Mormon The term Jack Mormon is a slang term originating in nineteenth-century America. It was originally used to describe a person who was not a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but who was friendly to Church members and Mormonism, sympathized with them, and/or took an...
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Commissioner, Precinct 3 |
Steve Radack |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Commissioner, Precinct 4 |
R. Jack Cagle |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
County Attorney |
Vince Ryan |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
District Attorney |
Pat Lykos Patricia R. "Pat" Lykos is an American lawyer who is the District Attorney of Harris County, Texas, United States. She defeated Democrat Brad Bradford in the general election on November 4, 2008. She survived the March 2008 primary, coming in second and receiving enough votes to qualify for the...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
District Clerk |
Chris Daniel |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
County Clerk |
Stan Stanart |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Sheriff |
Adrian Garcia Adrian Garcia is the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas. He defeated Tommy Thomas in 2008, who had been the sheriff for 14 years. Adrian Garcia spent 23 years with the Houston Police Department before serving as Sheriff to Harris County...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Tax Assessor-Collector |
Don Sumners |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Treasurer |
Orlando Sanchez Orlando Sánchez Márquez is a former catcher in Major League Baseball. He played all or part of four seasons in the majors, from through , for the St. Louis Cardinals , Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
School Trustee, At-Large, Pos. 3 |
Mike Wolfe Mike Wolfe was the first directly elected mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, sitting in office from 2002 to 2005.-Time as Mayor:Wolfe left the Labour Party to stand as an independent in the mayoral race of October 2002 and narrowly beat George Stevenson, a local Labour member of Parliament...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
School Trustee, At-Large, Pos. 5 |
Debra Kerner |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
School Trustee, At-Large, Pos. 7 |
Jim Henley |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
School Trustee, Pct. 1, Pos. 6 |
Roy Morales Roy Morales is a Harris County, Texas school board trustee and a retired air force lieutenant colonel. He was a Republican candidate in the 2009 Houston Mayoral Election, which he lost to Annise Parker.-Early life and career:...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
School Trustee, Pct. 2, Pos. 1 |
Marvin Morris |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
School Trustee, Pct. 3, Pos. 4 |
Louis D. Evans III |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
School Trustee, Pct. 4, Pos. 2 |
Angie Chesnut |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 1 |
Jack F. Abercia |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 2 |
Gary Freeman |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 3 |
Ken Jones |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 4 |
Ron Hickman Ronald Price Hickman OBE was a South African born, Jersey based car designer and inventor who designed the original Lotus Elan, the Lotus Elan +2 and the Lotus Europa, as well as the Black & Decker Workmate....
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 5 |
Phil Camus |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 6 |
Victor Trevino |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 7 |
May Walker |
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|
| |
Constable, Precinct 8 |
Phil Sandlin |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|
County government
The
Harris County Flood Control DistrictHarris County Flood Control District is a government agency that was established to reduce the effects of flooding in Harris County, Texas, United States. The flood control district has its headquarters in Houston....
manages the effects of flooding in the county.
The
Harris County Sheriff's OfficeThe Harris County Sheriff's Office is a local law enforcement agency serving the over three million citizens of Harris County, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the 1200 Jail in Downtown Houston.As of the 2000 U.S...
operates jail facilities. The Harris County jail facilities are in northern Downtown on the north side of the Buffalo Bayou. The 1200 Jail, the 1307 Jail, (originally a TDCJ facility, leased by the county), and the 701 Jail (formed from existing warehouse storage space) are on the same site.
Community Services Department provides community services. The department maintains the 20 acres (8.1 ha) Oates Road Cemetery (also known as the Harris County Cemetery), a cemetery for indigents in eastern Houston, near the former
Southern Bible CollegeSouthern Bible College was a coeducational bible college in Houston, Texas.The East Texas District of the Pentecostal Church of God of America wanted a regional educational facility in Greater Houston, so the facility opened in 1958. The facility received a permanent campus along Beaumont Highway...
. In March 2010 the county adopted a cremation first policy, meaning that the default preference for most indigents is to have them cremated instead of buried. As of 2010 the county authorized the community services department to purchase about 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land in the
HuffmanHuffman is an unincorporated area of northeastern Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.-Location:The area is centered on Farm Roads 2100 and 1960, thirty miles northeast of Downtown Houston in the piney woods of southeastern Texas. Neva Williams, a...
area so the county will have additional spaces for indigent burials.
The Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA) is a governmental non-profit corporation which addresses the need for quality affordable housing. The HCHA has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as the highest performing housing authority in the region and was recently named one of America's 10 best Public Housing Authorities.
Guy R. RankinGuy R. Rankin, IV is Chief Executive Officer of Harris County Housing Authority , a governmental non-profit corporation in Harris County, Texas.As CEO, Mr...
, IV is Chief Executive Officer of Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA).
State government
The
Texas Department of Criminal JusticeThe Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
operates some correctional facilities in Harris County, including:
- Kegans Unit, located in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, is a state jail for men. It is in the north of Downtown along the north side of the Buffalo Bayou, next to the county facilities.
- Pam Lychner Unit
Pam Lychner State Jail is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice state jail for men located in Atascocita, unincorporated northeast Harris County, Texas, United States, east of Humble. It is 20 miles northeast of Downtown Houston....
, named after Pam LychnerPamela Sue Rogers "Pam" Lychner, born Pamela Sue Rogers was a Spring Valley Village, Texas, United States real estate agent who promoted the "Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act of 1996" bill...
and located in unincorporated northeast Harris County, east of the city of HumbleHumble is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble...
, is a state jail for men.
As of 2001 Kegans and Lychner serves male state jail offenders from Harris County, with Kegans getting lower risk offenders and Lychner getting higher risk and special needs offenders. If both of the male state jails in Harris County are full, excess offenders go to the Gist Unit in
Jefferson CountyJefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...
. Female state jail offenders from Harris County go to the Plane Unit in
Liberty CountyLiberty County is a county located in Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,643. Its county seat is Liberty.-Geography:According to the U.S...
.
The South Texas Intermediate Sanction Facility Unit, a parole confinement facility for males operated by Global Expertise in Outsourcing, is in Downtown Houston, west of
Minute Maid ParkMinute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
.
Cities
- Baytown
Baytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
(Partly in Chambers County)
- Bellaire
Bellaire is a city in southwest Harris County, Texas, United States, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,642 and is completely surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place....
- Bunker Hill Village
Bunker Hill Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,654 at the 2000 census.The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all Bunker Hill Village addresses; "Bunker Hill Village" is not an acceptable city designation for mail addressed to places in Bunker...
- Deer Park
Deer Park is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is located in Harris County and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Deer Park was 32,010....
- El Lago
El Lago is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,075 at the 2000 census.El Lago has particular historical significance as it sits on the site of one of the main hide-outs for the famed pirate and war hero Jean Lafitte....
- Friendswood
Friendswood is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city lies in Galveston and Harris counties. As of the 2000 U.S...
(Mostly in Galveston County)
- Galena Park
Galena Park is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 10,887 at the 2010 census.-History:...
- Hedwig Village
Hedwig Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census.The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all Hedwig Village addresses; "Hedwig Village" is not an acceptable city designation for mail addressed to places in Hedwig...
- Hilshire Village
Hilshire Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 720 at the 2000 census. The city is the smallest of the Memorial Villages in terms of area....
|
Houston (Portions are in adjacent counties)
Humble Humble is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble...
Hunters Creek VillageHunters Creek Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,374 at the 2000 census.The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all Hunters Creek Village addresses; "Hunters Creek Village" is not an acceptable city designation for mail addressed to places in...
Jacinto CityJacinto City is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States, east of the intersection of Interstate 10 and the East Loop of Interstate 610. Jacinto City is part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and is bordered by the cities of Houston and Galena Park...
Jersey VillageJersey Village is a city in west central Harris County, Texas, United States, located at U.S. Highway 290, Farm to Market Road 529, and the Southern Pacific Railroad. The city is located in the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 7,254 in 2009, and 7620 in...
KatyKaty is a city located in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area...
(Portions are in adjacent counties)
La PorteLa Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
League CityLeague City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The 2010 Census places the population of League City...
(Mostly in Galveston County)
Missouri CityMissouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
(Mostly in Fort Bend County) |
Morgan's PointMorgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States located on the shores of the Galveston Bay at the inlet to the Houston Ship Channel, near La Porte and Pasadena. It earned fame in Texas' early history for being the home of the legendary Emily West , known as the Yellow Rose of Texas...
Nassau BayNassau Bay is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States, bordering the southeastern edge of the city of Houston. It is located in the Clear Lake Area near Galveston Bay, directly adjacent to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The population was 4,170 at the 2000 census...
PasadenaPasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
PearlandPearland , is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the US state of Texas within the metropolitan area and is in the counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris. As of the census of 2000, the city's population was 37,640. As of 2008, Pearland is estimated to have a population of 90,700...
(Portions are in adjacent counties)
Piney Point VillagePiney Point Village is a city in Harris County, Texas. The population was 3,380 at the 2000 census. Piney Point Village is also considered one of the wealthiest communities in the Greater Houston area.-History:...
SeabrookSeabrook is a city in Harris county, with some water surface area located within Chambers county in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 9,443 at the 2000 census....
ShoreacresShoreacres is a city in Chambers and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, alongside State Highway 146. Established with a mayor-alderman form of city government, it was incorporated in 1949...
South HoustonSouth Houston is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 15,833 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by the city of Houston and the city of Pasadena.-History:...
Southside PlaceSouthside Place is a city in west central Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,546 at the 2000 census.As of 2000, Southside Place is the 13th wealthiest location in Texas by per capita income....
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Spring Valley Village
StaffordStafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
(Mostly in Fort Bend County)
Taylor Lake VillageTaylor Lake Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,694 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Taylor Lake Village is located at ....
TomballTomball is a city in Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas, a part of the Houston metropolitan area. The population was 9,089 at the 2000 census. In 1907, the community of Peck was renamed Tomball. The city are named for local congressman Thomas Henry Ball, who had a major role in the...
WallerWaller is a city in Texas, United States, partly in Waller County and partly in Harris County within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 2,092 at the 2000 census. The Waller area is located along U.S. Highway 290 forty-one miles northwest of Downtown...
WebsterWebster is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 9,083 at the 2000 census.-History:...
West University PlaceWest University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and southwestern Harris County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of the city was 14,211...
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Census-designated places
- Aldine
- Atascocita
Atascocita is a census-designated place in Harris County, Texas, United States.Atascocita is a large, affluent development located north and south of Farm to Market Road 1960 about six miles east of Humble and eighteen miles northeast of downtown Houston in northeastern Harris County.Bordered on...
- Barrett
Barrett is a census-designated place in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,872 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1889 by Harrison Barrett, a former slave.-Geography:Barrett is located at ....
- Channelview
Channelview is a census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and Harris County. The population was 29,685 at the 2000 census...
- Cinco Ranch
Cinco Ranch is a census-designated place and master-planned community located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within Fort Bend and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 11,196 at the 2000 census. It lies about 25 miles west of the Harris County seat of...
(partly in Fort Bend County)
- Cloverleaf
Cloverleaf is a census-designated place in east central Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 23,508 at the 2000 census.-History:...
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Crosby Crosby is a census-designated place in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,714 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Crosby is located at ....
HighlandsHighlands is a census-designated place located along the Union Pacific Railroad, north of Interstate 10, and west of Farm to Market Road 2100 in an industrialized area of unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,089 at the 2000 census. Highlands is the hometown of...
Mission BendMission Bend is a census-designated place around Texas State Highway 6 within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Fort Bend and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas; Mission Bend is four miles northwest of the city hall of Sugar Land and twenty miles southwest of Downtown Houston...
(partly in Fort Bend County)
SheldonSheldon is a census-designated place in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,831 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sheldon is located at ....
SpringSpring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
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Other areas
- Alief (Partially annexed by Houston, partially unincorporated)
- Airline
The Airline Improvement District is a management district in unincorporated Harris County, Texas.During the 79th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, Texas House of Representatives member Kevin Bailey authored Bill #1458, which authorized the creation of the Airline Improvement District. The...
- Bammel
Bammel is an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States.By the 1980s most of the residents commuted to Houston.-Education:Spring Independent School District operates schools in the area....
- Barker
Barker is an unincorporated community in western Harris County, Texas, United States. It lies along local roads off Interstate 10 and seventeen miles west of downtown Houston...
- Beaumont Place
Beaumont Place is an unincorporated area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States. It is located along Beaumont Highway and the Southern Pacific Railroad. It is southwest of the Sheldon Reservoir....
- Bridgeland
Bridgeland Community is a master-planned community under construction in unincorporated Harris County, Texas to the northwest of Houston between U.S. Highway 290 and Interstate 10...
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Cedar Bayou Cedar Bayou is an area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States.Some of the area is unincorporated; portions are within Baytown.-Watershed character and water quality:...
Champions Forest
CoadyCoady is an unincorporated area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States.-External links:...
CypressCypress is an unincorporated area of Harris County, Texas, United States located completely inside the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Houston. The Cypress area is located along U.S...
DyersdaleDyersdale is an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States.The name originates from Clement C. Dyer, one of the "Old Three Hundred" of Stephen F. Austin's colonists....
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East Aldine East Aldine is a district in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. The East Aldine Improvement District, also known as the Aldine Management District, governs the area...
Fall CreekFall Creek is a master-planned community in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. The community is away from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and away from Downtown Houston...
HockleyHockley, Texas is an unincorporated community located in Harris County, Texas, United States along on Texas State Highway 6, approximately five miles southeast of the city hall of Waller, and thirty-six miles northwest of Downtown Houston....
HufsmithHufsmith is an unincorporated area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States.-Education:Tomball Independent School District operates schools serving the community....
Kingwood |
Klein Klein is an unincorporated community in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within north Harris County, Texas, United States, bordering on Houston to the South and Tomball to the North. It is named after Adam Klein, a German immigrant whose best-known great-great-grandson is singer Lyle...
KleinbrookKleinbrook is a neighborhood in unincorporated northwest Harris County, Texas, United States.It is located near Beltway 8 and Bammel North Houston Drive, it is east of the Willowbrook area of Houston, and south of the unincorporated area of Champion Forest. The main road of the subdivision is...
KohrvilleKohrville, also named Korville and Pilotville, is an unincorporated community in Harris County, Texas.-History:Kohrville was named after Paul Kohrmann, a German immigrant postmaster, in 1888...
LouettaLouetta is an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States that was formerly a distinct community.The former town disappeared in 1946.-External links:...
LynchburgLynchburg is an unincorporated area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States.The community is also known as Lynch's Ferry.-Education:Deer Park Independent School District operates schools in the area.Zoned schools include:...
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Northcliffe ManorNorthcliffe Manor is a neighborhood in unincorporated northwest Harris County, Texas, United States. The neighborhood is located near Beltway 8, and Veterans Memorial Dr., east of Greenspoint, southeast of Willowbrook, and south of Champions Forest. The subdivision is located one mile from the...
NorthcliffeNorthcliffe is a neighborhood in unincorporated northwest Harris County, Texas, United States. It is located near Richey Rd., and Veterans Memorial Dr. It is North of Northcliffe Manor, southeast of Willowbrook, and West of Kleinbrook...
North HoustonNorth Houston is an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States that was formerly a distinct community.- Government and infrastructure :...
Northgate ForestNorthgate Forest is a golf course community in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, in Greater Houston. It is located directly off of Farm to Market Road 1960, west of George Bush Intercontinental Airport and north of Downtown Houston....
Remington RanchRemington Ranch is a master planned community located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. The development, with 2,100 single family houses, is located between Interstate 45 and the Hardy Toll Road...
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Rose Hill Rose Hill is an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States.-Education:Tomball Independent School District operates schools in the area....
SatsumaSatsuma is an area in northern unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States.Satsuma is located along U.S. Highway 290 southeast of the community of Cypress and northwest of the city of Jersey Village....
WestfieldWestfield is an unincorporated community in Harris County, Texas, United States located along Interstate 45 and the Missouri Pacific Railroad nineteen miles north of Downtown Houston.-History:...
The WoodlandsThe Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose...
(mostly in Montgomery County) |
Primary and secondary schools
The Harris County Department of Education, a county division overseeing education by local school districts, with a 2011 budget of approximately $100 Million, is headquartered in the Ronald W. Reagan Building in the
NorthsideThe Northside is a district of Houston, Texas, United States. It is within the Greater Northside Management District.-History:House Bill 3634, authored by state representative Jessica Farrar and sponsored in the Texas Senate by Mario Gallegos, created the management district...
district in Houston. It has an Adult Education Center in the Northside and an office in the North Post Oak Building in Spring Branch.
Seven elected Harris County School Trustees oversee the operation of the Harris County Department of Education. Trustees are elected through a partisan election process via the Republican and Democrat primaries and in the November general elections, serving staggered six year terms of office, with 3 Trustees elected countywide and four Trustees elected to oversee the four Commissioner Precincts in Harris County, Texas.
Several
school districtSchool districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s serve Harris County communities. Among the 26 Districts, are:
- Aldine ISD
- Alief ISD
- Channelview ISD
Channelview Independent School District is a school district in Channelview, a census-designated place in an unincorporated area of Harris County, Texas, United States. As of 2008 CISD's superintendent is Greg Ollis....
- Clear Creek ISD
- Crosby ISD
Crosby Independent School District is a public school district based in Crosby—an unincorporated area of northeastern Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area....
- Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
- Dayton ISD
Dayton Independent School District is a public school district based in Dayton, Texas .The district serves the cities of Dayton, Dayton Lakes, Kenefick, and some unincorporated areas including Eastgate, Stilson, and the northern half of Old River-Winfree...
- Deer Park ISD
Deer Park Independent School District is a public school district in Deer Park, Texas , but also includes parts of neighboring Pasadena. Its total enrollment is approximately 11,700 students....
- Galena Park ISD
Galena Park Independent School District is a school district based in the Channelview CDP of unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States....
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Goose Creek CISD Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Baytown, Texas, United States.The district has 14 elementary schools , 5 junior high schools , 3 high schools , a career center, and two alternative centers for education...
Houston ISD
Humble ISDHumble Independent School District is a school district based in Humble, Texas .Humble ISD serves the city of Humble, small portions of the city of Houston , and portions of unincorporated Harris County . The district serves over 33,000 students and is led by Superintendent Dr...
Katy ISD
Klein ISD
La Porte ISDLa Porte Independent School District is a school district based in La Porte, Texas, United States.The district serves the cities of La Porte, Morgan's Point, and Shoreacres, a small portion of Pasadena, a small portion of Deer Park...
North Forest ISD
Pasadena ISD
Sheldon ISDSheldon Independent School District is a public school district in unincorporated northeast Harris County, Texas .Sheldon ISD serves the Sheldon CDP, as well as several subdivisions and communities that lie in Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction. Unincorporated areas include Beaumont Place,...
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Spring ISD
Spring Branch ISD
Stafford MSD
Tomball ISD
Waller ISDWaller Independent School District is a public school district based in Waller, Texas .In addition to Waller, the district serves the cities of Prairie View and Pine Island...
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In addition
state-operated charter schools are in the county. Charter schools in
unincorporated areaIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
s include:
- Jamie's House Charter School
Jamie's House Charter School is a 6-12 state charter school in unincorporated northern Harris County, Texas.In May 2010 a video of a teacher attacking a student was released to the public. A video captured on a cellular phone shows the teacher dragging the 13-year old male student across the floor...
(6–12)
- Richard Milburn Academy Houston (high school) – Of Milburn Schools
Milburn Schools is a private school and charter school operator headquartered in Lake Ridge, unincorporated Prince William County, Virginia, United States, near Woodbridge.-Schools:Richard Milburn High School * Illinois** Chicago* Virginia...
- YES Prep North Central of YES Prep Public Schools
YES Prep Public Schools is a network of public, open-enrollment charter schools located throughout Greater Houston. The YES network has its headquarters in Greater Sharpstown, Houston. The YES program is a university-preparatory program for grades 6-12....
The department of education of the county operates the Highpoint Schools.
Colleges and universities
Four distinct state universities are located in Harris County. The
University of HoustonThe University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
is a nationally recognized research university, and is the flagship institution of the
University of Houston SystemThe University of Houston System is a state university system in Texas, encompassing four separate and distinct universities. It has two system centers, which operate as and distance learning course delivery sites for its universities...
. The institution ranks among the Top 50 American Research Universities. The in Texas, UH has nearly 40,000 students on its 667-acre campus in southeast Houston. The
University of Houston–Clear LakeThe University of Houston–Clear Lake is a state university, and is a component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 524-acre in Pasadena, with a satellite campus in Pearland. Founded in 1971, UHCL has an enrollment of more than 8,000 students...
and the
University of Houston–DowntownThe University of Houston–Downtown is a four-year state university, and is a distinct component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 20-acre in Downtown Houston, with a satellite location in northwestern Harris County...
are universities; they are not branch campuses of the University of Houston. Located in the historic community of Third Ward is
Texas Southern UniversityTexas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
—one of the largest historically black colleges and universities in the United States.
Several private institutions of higher learning—ranging from liberal arts colleges to a nationally recognized research university—are located within Harris County.
Rice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
is one of the leading teaching and research universities of the United States and ranked the nation's 17th best overall university by
U.S. News & World Report.
Three community college districts exist with campuses in and around Harris County. The
Houston Community College SystemHouston Community College System is a community college system that operates community colleges in Houston, Missouri City, and Stafford in Texas....
serves most of Houston. The northwestern through northeastern parts of the county are served by various campuses of the Lone Star College System, while the southeastern portion of the county is served by
San Jacinto CollegeSan Jacinto College is a community college in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the areas of Channelview ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, La Porte ISD, and Pasadena ISD. The College now also serves Sheldon ISD,...
. The Houston Community College and Lone Star College systems are within the 10 largest institutions of higher learning in the United States.
Public libraries
Harris County operates its own
public libraryA public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
system, the
Harris County Public LibraryHarris County Public Library is a public library system serving Harris County, Texas, United States. The county library system is headquartered at 8080 El Rio in Houston....
.
In addition, Houston has the
Houston Public LibraryHouston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. The library system has its headquarters in the Marston Building in Neartown Houston.-History:It can trace its founding to the Houston Lyceum in 1854...
, a city-controlled public library system.
The cities of Baytown,
BellaireBellaire is a city in southwest Harris County, Texas, United States, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,642 and is completely surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place....
,
Deer ParkDeer Park is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is located in Harris County and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Deer Park was 32,010....
, and
PasadenaPasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
have their own city-controlled libraries.
Transportation
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TexasThe Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is a major public transportation agency based in Houston . It operates bus, light rail, future commuter rail, and paratransit service in the city as well as most of Harris County...
(METRO) serves several areas within Harris County. An agency of the Harris County government,
Harris County TransitThe Harris County Transit Services Division is a transportation agency that serves areas of Harris County, Texas that do not have service from Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas...
, serves communities in Harris County that are not served by METRO.
In Harris County, the average one way commute for a person using an automobile was 25 minutes, while the average commute for a person not using an automobile was 44 minutes, a 76% longer duration than the figure for commuters with cars.
Mass transit
Many areas in Harris County are served by
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TexasThe Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is a major public transportation agency based in Houston . It operates bus, light rail, future commuter rail, and paratransit service in the city as well as most of Harris County...
(METRO), a public transportation agency headquartered in
Downtown HoustonDowntown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
.
Airports
Two commercial airports,
George Bush Intercontinental AirportGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
and
William P. Hobby AirportWilliam P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
, are located in Houston and in Harris County. The
Houston Airport SystemHouston Airport System is a department of the City of Houston, Texas, United States that manages city airports. Its administrative offices are on the property of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport in Houston.The city of Houston...
defines Harris County as a part of Bush Intercontinental's service region. The city of Houston operates
Ellington FieldEllington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...
, a general aviation and military airport in Harris County.
General aviation airports for
fixed-wing aircraftA fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
outside of Houston include:
- Publicly-owned
- La Porte Municipal Airport
La Porte Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of La Porte, a city in Harris County, Texas, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
in La PorteLa Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
- Baytown Airport
Baytown Airport is a public-use airport located north of the central business district of Baytown, a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. It is privately-owned by Raceco Inc.- Facilities and aircraft :...
in unincorporated east Harris County, north of BaytownBaytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
- Privately owned, public use
- West Houston Airport
West Houston Airport is a general aviation airport located in unincorporated western Harris County, Texas, United States, immediately west of the Houston city limits.The airport is located 13 miles west of Downtown Houston...
is a general aviation airport located in unincorporated western Harris County, west of the Houston city limits.
- Dan Jones International Airport
Dan Jones International Airport is a public-use airport in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States that is privately owned by Daniel Jones of Cypress...
in unincorporated northwestern Harris County
- Weiser Air Park
Weiser Air Park is a privately owned, public-use airport located on the Northwest Freeway in Cypress, an unincorporated area of Harris County, Texas, United States. The airport is 11 nautical miles northwest of the central business district of HoustonAlthough most U.S...
in unincorporated northern Harris County
- David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport is a public-use airport located near the city of Tomball in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. It is northwest of the central business district of Houston...
, a general aviation airport, is located outside of the TomballTomball is a city in Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas, a part of the Houston metropolitan area. The population was 9,089 at the 2000 census. In 1907, the community of Peck was renamed Tomball. The city are named for local congressman Thomas Henry Ball, who had a major role in the...
city limits in unincorporated northwest Harris County.
- Sack-O-Grande Acroport
Sack-O-Grande Acroport , also known as the Harbican Airport is an airport in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. It is located seven nautical miles north of the central business district of the city of Katy....
(also known as Harbican Airport) is located in western unincorporated Harris County.
- Privately owned, private use
- Hoffpauir Airport
Hoffpauir Airport is an airport located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, east of the city of Katy and west of the city of Houston.The owner is Stanley C. Hoffpauir....
is located in western unincorporated Harris County.
Emergency services
Outside of the city limits fire and ambulance services are provided by Emergency Services Districts (ESD).
Police services
Incorporated areas operate their own police departments.
Harris County operates the
Harris County Sheriff's OfficeThe Harris County Sheriff's Office is a local law enforcement agency serving the over three million citizens of Harris County, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the 1200 Jail in Downtown Houston.As of the 2000 U.S...
, which serves unincorporated areas and supplements police forces of incorporated areas.
Harris County also has a constable for each of its eight precincts and hundreds of deputies assigned to each. They mainly serve in a patrol function, established to maintain peace in the county as well as providing security to county buildings such as court houses and district attorney's offices.
Fire services
The
Harris County Fire Marshal's Office operates an Investigative Branch, an Emergency Response Branch (Hazardous Materials Response) and Prevention Branch (Inspections). The office is headquartered at 2318 Atascocita Road in an
unincorporated areaIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
. Incorporated cities operate their own fire departments.
Fire departments serving unincorporated areas:
- Aldine Fire & Rescue 3 Stations
- Atascocita VFD 3 Stations
- Champions ESD No. 29 1 Station
- Channelview VFD 3 Stations
- Cloverleaf VFD 2 Stations
- Community VFD (covers unincorporated southwest Harris County and unincorporated northeast Fort Bend County) 3 Stations
- Crosby VFD 5 Stations
- Cy-Fair VFD
Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department is a combination fire department headquartered at 9630 Telge Road in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States....
12 Stations
- Cypress Creek EMS
Cypress Creek Emergency Medical Services is an emergency medical service provider in Northwest Harris County in Houston, Texas. CCEMS is one of the most reliable EMS services in Houston. All ambulances in use by CCEMS are MICU or Mobile Intensive Care Units, with at least one Paramedic, making...
9 Stations
- Cypress Creek VFD 4 Stations
- Eastex VFD 2 Stations
- Forest Bend VFD (Southeast unincorporated Harris County) 2 Stations
- Highlands VFD 2 Stations
- Huffman VFD 1 Station
- Katy VFD 1 Station
- Klein VFD 7 Stations
- Little York VFD 3 Stations
- Northwest VFD 3 Stations
- Ponderosa VFD (Harris County ESD #28) 3 Stations
- Rosehill VFD 3 Stations
- Sheldon Community Fire/Rescue 2 Stations
- Spring VFD
The Spring Volunteer Fire Department is a combination fire department located in Spring, Texas, in unincorporated Harris County. It is the third largest volunteer fire department in Harris County following Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department and Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department...
8 Stations
- Tomball VFD 2 Stations
- Tri-County VFD 2 Stations
- West I-10 VFD 5 Stations
- Westfield Rd. VFD 2 Stations
- Westlake VFD 1 Station
Emergency Medical services
EMS services inside the City of Houston are provided by the
Houston Fire Department.
Harris County ESD 1 is in northern Harris County, south of Beltway 8. Harris County ESD 1 provides both "911" ambulances to its district as well as providing ‘Critical Care Transports’ from the neighboring hospitals. Harris County ESD 1 has a Director of EMS, Jeremy Hyde that oversees the daily operations of the service and reports directly to the Harris County Board of Commissioners.
Atascocita EMS is part of
Atascocita VFD (ESD 46) and provides services in the Northeast part of Harris county.
Cy Fair VFD provides EMS service to Northwest Harris County and is bordered by Houston Fire Department, Cypress Creek EMS, Rose Hill Fire Dept, Northwest EMS, West I 10 Ems.
Cypress Creek EMS (
ESD 11) provides EMS services to the area roughly to Beltway 8 on the south, to 1 mile east of Hwy 290 on the west, to Hwy 59 (Humble City limits) on the east; to Montgomery County line on the north.
Harris County ESD 5 (ESD 5) covers the area of Crosby and Barrett Station.Response area extends from the Harris County/Liberty County Line east to the San Jacinto River. And from north of Indian Shores road on FM2100 south to Red Oak St. in Barrett Station
Northwest EMS (ESD 8) provides services in the Tomball area of Harris County.
Coverage Map
Political organization
The chief administrative officer of a Texas County, as set up in the
Texas ConstitutionThe Constitution of the State of Texas is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Texas.Texas has had seven constitutions: the constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, the state constitutions of 1845,...
, is the County Judge, who sits as the chair of the county's
Commissioners' CourtCommissioners' Court is the governing body of county government in several US states, including Texas and Missouri. It is similar in function to a board of county commissioners....
(the equivalent of a Board of Supervisors in some other states). Since 2007, this position in Harris County is held by Judge Ed Emmett. The county is split into 4 geographical divisions called
PrecinctA precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
s. Each precinct elects a
CommissionerCommissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
to sit as a representative of their precinct on the commissioners court and also for the oversight of county functions in their area.
Other elected positions in Harris County include a
County AttorneyA county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
, a County Clerk, a
District AttorneyIn many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
, a
District ClerkA court clerk is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. Another duty is to administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and grand jurors...
, a
SheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, 8
ConstableA constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s, a Tax Assessor-Collector, a
County TreasurerA treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, and every judge in the county except municipal judges, who are appointed by the officials of their respective cities.
Many of the organs of the Harris County government reside in the Harris County Campus in
Downtown HoustonDowntown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
.
Hospital services
Within Harris County, hospital services for the indigent and needy are provided by the
Harris County Hospital DistrictThe Harris County Hospital District is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, including the city of Houston...
, a separate governmental entity. Harris County Hospital District operates three hospitals: LBJ General Hospital, Quentin Mease Community Hospital, and
Ben Taub General HospitalBen Taub General Hospital is a hospital located in Houston, Texas within the Texas Medical Center. Opening in May 1963, the hospital is owned and operated by the Harris County Hospital District and is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students from Baylor College of Medicine.Ben Taub is a...
, as well as many clinics.
Additionally, numerous private and public hospitals operate in Harris County, including institutions in
Texas Medical CenterThe Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research...
and throughout the county.
See also
External links